Pry type jar cap remover



Oct. 16, 1951 R. H. wlLLlAMs 2,57L401 PRY TYPE JAR GAP REMovER FiledOC'. 18. 1946 Patentecl Oct. 16, 1951 PRY TYPE J AR CAP REMOVER RaymondH. Williams, Chicago, Ill., assignor to White Cap Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1946, SerialNo..704,253

Claims.

My invention is concerned with improvements in an Opener or tool for usein removing the closure cap or lid from a receptacle.

Closure caps or lids of the pry-off type (as distinguished from thescrew-ofi type) have long been used on receptacles such as glass bottlesand jars for putting up various kinds of products, particularly foods.The most popular pryoif cap now in use is the type such as shown inPatent No. 2,339,82'7, issued January 25, 1944, to William P. White.

Practically all containers on which the pryofi type of cap is employedhave an annular abutment shoulder which is located a short distancebelow the skirt of the cap, when the latter is in fully closed positionon the container, which shoulder serves as a fulcrum for use in pryingoff the cap. The housewife generally resorts to the blade of a knife orthe bowl or handle of a spoon to pry off the cap. Such a pry-off meanshas proven very unsatisfactory because the caps |4 of the cap 2, whenthe cap |2 is in fully are difiicult to get off and likely to mar theknife or spoon used.

It is an object of my invention to provide an Opener tool which is easyto use and which is especially effective for removing pry-off caps ofthe type referred to or of similar type.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a simple and effectivetool for use in removing pry-off type container closures which comprisesa blade-like projecting member adapted for insertion between the skirtof the closure and an abutment shoulder provided on the container andhandle means for rotating the bladelike member to force the closure fromthe container without damage to the container or the closure.

These and other objects will be apparent from a description of thepreferred form of my Opener tool which is shown by way of illustrationin the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view, partially in section, showing the top of a jar havinga pry-off cap secured thereon, and an Opener tool embodying theprinciples of my invention, the tool being shown with the end of theOpener blade between the pry-off ledge of the jar and the skirt of thecap and with the Opener blade partially rotated into operative positionpreparatory to prying off the cap;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the Opener;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the Opener blade;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

closed position. The annular shoulder |3 serves as a fulcrum for use inprying off the cap IZ.

My Opener is characterized by a relatively wide flat blade-like member|6 and a handle member ll. The blade member IB is generally rectangularin cross section as shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, having relativelywide fiat side faces IB and |9 and relatively narrow side edges 20 and2|. The end edge 22 is curved on aconcave arc. Closely adjacent the endedge 22 the blade member |6 is relieved or grooved at 23 and 24. Thegrooves 23 and 24 Aextend from the edges 2|] and 2| toward the center ofthe side faces |8 and |9 and are rounded or curved transversely on aconcave arc. The handle member I'l is suificiently large to becomfortably gripped in one hand. It is joined to the blade member |6 ata sufficient distance from the Operating end of the same to provideadequate clearance for the fingers of the user.

In using my Opener the end of the blade member IB is inserted flatwisebetween the pry-off shoulder |3 of the jar IO and the skirt M of the cap|2. The concave end edge 22 of the blade member IB aids in properlylocating the blade member IB between the pry-off shoulder I3 and the capskirt |4. The handle member Il is then rotated in either directionuntil'the lower edge of the skirt |4 is engaged in interlocking rela- Vtion with one of the grooves 23 and 24. The engagement of the skirt |4in the selected groove prevents the tool from slipping out of engagementWith the cap 12 during the opening operation. Upon further rotation ofthe handle H the blade |6' forces the cap |2 upwardly until it is freeof the jar mouth. All the engaging surfaces are rounded and there is nodamage to the cap |2 so that it may be replaced on the jar mouth Il forresealing the jar, if desired.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a modified form of Opener 30 having anOperating blade 3| and a handle member 3'2. The Operating blade 3| is 3identical with the blade [6 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. Thehandle member 32 extends at an angle to the longitudinal axis of theblade 32 and is of suflicient size and configuration to provide a.comfortable grip. The Opener 30 is used in the same manner as opener 15.

In Fig. 'I I have illustrated a further modified form of. Openerk 401I'm this formthe blade 41. is identical with that shown in Figs. 1 to 5'inclusive. The handle member 42 extends along the longitudinal axis ofthe blade 4| and is of sufficient size to provide a comfortable grip.The opener 40 is operated in the same manner as opener |5, the blade 4|being rotated or turned by rotating or twisting thehandle 42.

In all the forms illustrated the opener members may be made of any;desiredmaterial combination of materials. Preferably, the opener isstamped of metal to provide a fiat one-piece` device which may beeconomically manufactured.

While I have' illustratedispecific details of' construction, it will beunderstood that other details of. construction mayv be resorted towithin the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Atool forvusein removingcaps of the pry-off type from a:.receptaclehaving an annular abutment shoulder'locatedibelow the skirt of thepryoff cap, said tool comprisin'g a blade having a relativelywideflatend portion terminating in a concave end; ed'gersaidz end portion beingprovided'with tapered concave grooves spaced from said end.. edge adistance substantially equal to the' distance-ofth'e'lower'edge of theskirt of the cap from.the-receptaclel and extending from the side edges'of'said blade toward the center on each side face thereof, and a handlemember on said blade whereby when said end portion of said blade isinserted' between the skirt of the pryolf cap and the annular abutmentshoulder of the recepta'cle'and-said handle is rotatedto twist saidblade .one of said grooves will index with the skirt of said cap-andsaid cap Willbe forced from said receptacle.

2. Atool for use in' removing caps.. of the pryoif type from' areceptacle having an annular abutment shoulder'locatedibelow the skirtof the cap, said tooll comprising a forwardly extending portioncharacterized by spaced generally parallel side edges 1 and a front edgeconnecting saidside edges in generally right-angular relation tothe'latter, saidforwardlyextending portion being provided adjacent itsfront end inits'upper and lower faces with laterally extending grooves,which grooves intersect said side edges and areA spaced rearwardly fromsaid: front edge a distancesubstantially' equal to the distance of thelower edge. of the skirt of the cap fromthe receptacle,.and a handlecharacterized by Wing portions which extend laterally in oppositedirectionsfrom the-base'of said forwardly extend- -ing' portion, wherebywhen said front edge of saidfforwardly extending portion is insertedbetween the skirt of the cap and the annular abutment shoulder ofithereceptacle and said han-v dle isrotatedfito twist said forwardlyextending portionone of. said grooves will index with the skirtiof thecap and the capwill be forced upwardly fromthe receptacle.

3. An opener for caps of the pry-off' type mounted on Vjars havingledges-spaced beneath the caps, comprising a relatively wide, thin, fiatforwardly extending member adapted for insertion inthe. annularspacebetween the rim of` the 4 cap and the ledge on the jar, and a handle forimparting a twisting movement to said forwardly extending member, saidforwardly extending member having a front edge which is curved toconform generally to the periphery of the jar between the rim of the capand the ledge, and said forwardly extending member having sideedgesiwhich extend rearwardly from the ends of the front edge and whichare adapted to bear respectively against the under surface of the rimand the upper surface of the ledge at points spaced circumferentially ofthe jar, said forwardly extending member being provided with recesses-inthe flat faces thereof at points spaced rearwardly: from said front edgea distance substantially equal to the distance of the lower edge of therimofz'the cap from the jar and extendinginwardly of the side edgesthereof, one of'said recesses being adapted to engage in interlookingrelation with the rim irrespective of the direction in which the bladeis twistedl by the handle.

4. A tool for removing caps of the pry-oif type from' a container havingan annular abutment f shoulder located below the skirt of the cap, saidtool comprising a blade-like portion having a front edgeV and laterallyspaced. side edges extending rearwardly from the ends of the front edge,said blade-like portion being provided at its sidev edges with inwardlyextending groove formations which are spaced from the'front edgeadistance substantially equal to the distance of the lower edge of theskirt of 'the cap from the container and a handle extending laterally ofthe rear of said) blade-like portion whereby whenlsaid blade-likeportionfisinserted between the skirt of the' cap andthe annular abutmentshoulder of the container andv said handle is rotated to twist saidblade-like portion the skirt of the cap is engaged in oneof said groovesand thecalp is forced away fromthe container.

51 A cap lifter for removing a vacuum seal cap, having a downwardlyextending skirt, from a container having an annular shoulder of givenradial width spaced slightly-'below the skirt, comprising thecombination of a curved rib having a concave longitudinal edge, the endsof the rib being rounded, a neck of: biconvex longitudinal cross sectionfixedly supporting the rib and extending transversely from the side ofthe rib opposite the concave edge, the length of the ne'ckbeing'substa'ntially lessthan the length of the rib, and a handlefixedly supporting the neck for inserting theconcave edge of 'the ribbetween the skrt and the shoulder and against the container and'fortwist'ing the neck so as to force one end of the rib against theshoulder and the other end against an inside portion of the edge' of theskirt.

RAYMOND H. WILIAMS.

REFERENCES oI'rED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,568,312 Becker Jan. 5, 19262,166,972 Sheldon July v25, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date311,889 Germany Apr. 26, 1919 116,,925 Germany U g.,., Oct. 1, 1926

